Graduating students' exhibition: Call for submissions

Deadline to submit: N/A

This juried exhibition is open to Faculty of Fine Arts Undergraduate, Graduate, and Doctoral students from all departments, making work in all disciplines, who will be graduating this June 2023. Students enrolled in Summer classes in 2023, may contact Tricia Middleton at tricia.middleton@concordia.ca to confirm eligibility.

The 2023 Graduating Students’ Exhibition will be held at the FOFA Gallery and at the VAV Gallery. This exhibition will run from approximately from June 12th  to the 30th, 2023, with an opening reception on Thursday, June 22nd,  from 5 - 7 pm.

Students are invited to submit work in any medium. This could be a single artwork or a series of related works. 

• Any linked content (video, audio, et cetera) must be viewable for at least two weeks after the deadline. Please include passwords for password protected content. 

• Please note that each student may submit only one application.

• Submissions will be accepted in either French or English.

• Submissions will be accepted in either French or English and only proposals submitted via the Slideroom platform will be considered.
  

• Before submitting, please read the VAV’s Anti-Oppression Statement.

Visual Arts:

• Good quality images 5 images maximum.  All submitted images must be high-resolution as they will be used on the website and in promotional materials.
• All images must be clearly labeled and numbered (01_artistsname_title.jpg). 
• If you are submitting video or sound installation, please submit links to online preview copies not exceeding 3-5 minutes.

Media Arts:

Link to the full-length artwork you wish to present, indicate which 3-5 minutes to view.

Performing Arts:

• Link to an excerpt of the work you wish to present as sound or video files, duration of excerpts must not exceed 3-5 minutes. 

Interested artists must complete the form, which will ask for the following elements:

General information:

• Full name and pronouns.

• Contact information (mailing address, telephone number, and email address).
• Area of study and student number
• Website link, social media handles if applicable

Artwork details:

• The kind of work being submitted (ex. Painting, performance, etc.)

• Title, dimensions, media and year of completion;

• Brief artist statement or project description related to the specific work(s) you are submitting, no longer than 150 words;

• Brief biography, no longer than 100 words;

• Please include a summary of all your technical requirements (equipment, set up, installation assistance required, tools, hanging hardware)

• Preferred space: i.e. gallery wall, black box, vitrine, courtyard, window (please note that the final installation plan and work placement will be decided by gallery staff).

Selection Process and Timeline:

The applications will be juried by representatives from the VAV Gallery and the FOFA Gallery. Decisions will be disseminated by late-April 2023 and students should plan to be able to drop off and help install their work between June 5th-9th and to retrieve their work between July 10th-14th.

What we offer:

Each student will receive a $100 honorarium for their participation. We also offer hands-on technical and curatorial support with installation, and we can provide basic tools, display furniture, painting supplies, and some media equipment. If you need specialised equipment, technicians, or assistance to present your project, please indicate this in your proposal and check with us in advance to see what is feasible.

We provide professional documentation of each exhibition as well as promotional material and presence on our websites and social media platforms. We have a limited budget and unfortunately cannot offer funds for shipping or travel.

Please note that this is a group exhibition with a short turnaround time for preparation and installation; we may not be able to accommodate especially large or complex projects. If you have any questions about whether your project is suitable for the FOFA Gallery space or the VAV Gallery space, please get in touch before submitting your application. You can also consult FOFA’s past exhibitions to see the kinds of projects we’ve presented before.

For more information about this exhibition, please email Tricia Middleton at tricia.middleton@concordia.ca with any further questions you might have.

BIPOC

Black, Indigenous, and People of Color are disproportionately excluded from arts spaces. Thus, the VAV would like to uplift and prioritize BIPOC applicants who choose to be considered for BIPOC Equity. BIPOC applications will be given special priority over self-identified general Equity applicants. Candidates can be eligible for both, but the VAV would like to acknowledge that our Equity process in the past has failed to sufficiently distinguish between BIPOC artists and White artists who might qualify for some of the eligibility factors. While the VAV is committed to uplifting all marginalized identities, whiteness carries immense privileges which have historically shielded white artists from the exceptional marginalization that BIPOC artists have faced from arts institutions. 

Equity

The VAV Gallery values the contributions that individuals who identify as members of marginalised communities bring to our organisation. We encourage, among others, Indigenous people, people of colour, disabled people, people identifying as LGBTQI, women, formerly incarcerated or institutionalised people, immigrants, and people from working-class backgrounds to apply. We also understand that applicants may experience several of these identities simultaneously in ways that reinforce and nuance their experience. We are committed to creating an organisation as diverse as the communities we serve. If you wish to be considered for exhibition equity, you can let us know when filling out your submission form. Please note that while it is not required that candidates explain why they would like to be considered for exhibition equity, please feel free to speak to any relevant lived experiences in your responses.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact the VAV at vavgallery.outreach@concordia.ca

About The VAV

The V.A.V. (Visual Arts Visuels) Gallery is a student-run exhibition space, supported by a Concordia Fine Arts Undergraduate student fee levy. Concordia students of all identities and levels of experience are encouraged to participate. Learn more about the VAV gallery: VAV Gallery

About the FOFA Gallery

The FOFA Gallery is the primary venue dedicated to showcasing the current artistic and research practices of the Faculty of Fine Arts. Through exhibitions, publications, and events, the gallery makes public the work of Concordia alumni, faculty and staff. The Gallery also supports work from the student community, relating to the research and pedagogical aims of the Faculty. A space dedicated to innovation, FOFA Gallery fosters and facilitates pedagogical inquiries, curatorial experiments, cutting-edge artistic practices and training opportunities.

FOFA Gallery and the VAV recognize that our activities unfold on unceded Indigenous lands. The Kanien’keha:ka Nation is recognized as the custodians of these lands and waters. Tiohtià:ke/Montreal is historically known as a gathering place for many First Nations. Today, it is home to a diverse population of Indigenous and other peoples. We respect the continued connections with the past, present, and future in our ongoing relationships with Indigenous and other peoples within the Montreal community.